


A Place to Be

by nyandragons



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Child Neglect, Dadvid AU, Gen, PTSD, Probably no relationships, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-12-25 23:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12046842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyandragons/pseuds/nyandragons
Summary: Just a Dadvid au. Just about David adopting Max and Max being super edgy, but learning to love his tall nature dad. Might go into Max's past, maybe go into any possible ptsd, counseling, or even the adoption process itself.





	1. Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> Yooo this is my first fanfic... ever... so PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GIVE ME CRITICISM / IDEAS
> 
> Also so any spoilers.

The late afternoon sun shone through the forest canopy, casting dappled shadows on the dirt path below. The cicadas has just stopped their lazy bazz, replaced by the rhythmic chirping of crickets into the muggy air. Max was resting against a tall maple tree, carving the end of a stick dagger-sharp with a knife he stole from Nurf’s tent when he wasn’t looking.  
As much as he said he hated camp, he always had a meal there. He was never thirsty, he never had to stand in the corner for hours, and someone was always there who actually, truly cared for him. But, no use dwelling on the past, he was getting out of that hellhole tonight… back to his family.

He half-heartedly waved Nerris goodbye as she climbed into the backseat of her family’s minivan. Quartermaster would have taken them home on the bus as per usual, but there was something about a dead squirrel in the engine or something, so the parents had to pick them up. Great.

The sun was just dipping below the horizon. The clouds turned cotton-candy pink, edged with brilliant gold. The temperature fell to a tolerable degree, but the humidity still made it hard to breath. It’s been hours since the other campers left, save for Harrison, but his parents were just filling out the payment forms. The pile of sharpened sticks at Max’s side had grown to at least twelve, and he was angrily chipping away at a thirteenth, the small flakes of wood covering his blue sweatshirt. His parents would be pissed if they showed up to get his so dirty.

He cringed at the thought of another lecture from his parents. He probably wouldn't be allowed breakfast in the morning if that happened. He gripped the blade handle firmly, knuckles turning white. He knew he wasn’t allowed to stay at camp, but who said he needed to go back to his parent? The months of camping knowledge that was power-washed into him suddenly popped back into memory, he could survive out there, he knew it! And with that, he stood up from his tree, and snuck away.

Damn.. The Quartermaster store had everything! Ropes, a tent, like twenty lighters, suspicious-looking boxes of hair, everything Max needed to survive out in the woods. He swiftly gathered it all in a small burlap sack, careful not to touch any of the bloody parts, and tiptoed into the edges of the forest.

He never really thought about how scary the woods were at such a late hour. With only a sliver of sun above the horizon, the shadows seemed too dark and too long, as if it was a poor reconstruction of how shadows are supposed to look. It sent a shiver down the ten year old’s spine, but he hurried forward.

After hours of hiking, he eventually came upon a patch of flat dirt, just large enough for a small fire and a tent. He dumped the sack down and rubbed his hands where he held the thing. Now all he had to do was set up everything. Aaaaaand, he suddenly felt his first doubts about this plan. He paced around a bit, trying to think of the first thing to do, when suddenly an overly cheery redhead popped into his mind. He remembered tent-pitching camp so quickly he was almost startled, damn David had him brainwashed probably. He grumbled, but eventually pulled together a not so horrible tent.

After a small ring of stones was placed a few yards away for a fire in the morning, Max climbed inside and started to drift to sleep. His dreams were troubled half memories of all the other times he was left alone, but this time his dad was a dinosaur, not even a cool one, just a dinosaur.

Eventually, he woke up from a small bee landing on his face. It was just about morning, and the sun as probably only up for an hour. Max never hunted before, but he knew about berries, and there was a little creek with crayfish scurrying around, those are edible, right? He tried to remember if there was a “what you can eat when you are in the middle of the woods” camp, but nothing came to mind. All he could think about was David talking about how the wood are beautiful or some shit. Yeah right, a place full of bugs and animal poop is totally the place he wanted to stay at! Well, he did run away to it...

Max sat down on a small rock and put his hand on his head. They were still a it raw from carrying the sack all those miles, but he didn’t seem to notice. He wondered what everybody else was doing. Nikki’s probably still getting over nature withdraw, he shuddered at the memory of her coughing up blood onto Neil’s uniform, and Neil is probably crying from happiness at finally being in AC again. Gwen’s probably reading a trashy magazine.. No.. he’s missing, she’s probably looking for him. In fact, David and Gwen are looking for him right now probably. He wondered if David even went to bed last night, probably not, that guy would shoot himself if another camper died. Then.. he thought of his parents. Would they care enough to try to help look for him? Would they even care if he came home?? The more he thought about it, the more he realized the answer is no. They don’t.

A tear escaped his eye, then two, until he was a sobbing mess on the forest floor. Everything around him seemed to drift away as he was lost in his thought. He was an accident, probably only existing because of cheap condoms or something. His parents never did anything with him. They only gave his a few clothes and Mr. Honeynuts when he was born. They made his sleep in the basement because the guest room was for guests, not him. They sent him to summer camp since we was five so they wouldn't have to deal with him for more than a few days straight. The more he thought about how his parents are probably happy that they don’t have to take care of him anymore, the more his sobs rang through the forest, until he heard the rustling of the undergrowth, followed by a frazzled looking redhead bursting through.


	2. Car Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max has to go home, but his family isn't exactly making that easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi ya'll, so this is still my first fanfic, so PLEASE give me critique or suggestions on what you would like to see happen! (ALso, Im sorry for ending on a cliffhanger yesterday, im still getting the hang of this thing!)

As David stumbled out of the undergrowth, Max go to see a good look at his state, and it looked like shit. His face was flushed from exhaustion, his eyes were puffy and one looked significantly darker around the edges than the other, and his normally well-groomed hair was flying in all directions. 

“MAX!! OH my goodness! You’re safe!! Are you okay??” He shouted, diving for the boy with the intent to give him a bear hug. Max swiftly stepped out of the way, Leading David to stumble forward, but he steadied himself before crashing to the ground, much to Max’s dismay.

“Yeah. I’m fine. What do you want.” He said in a monotone voice, wiping a remnant of a tear from his cheek and sniffling slightly. David flashed a confused look,

“Well, you’ve been missing since last night! Y-” 

“Let me guess, you were gonna say my parents were worried sick?” Max interrupted. “If they were worried sick, they would have helped look.” He stretched his arms out and slowly turned in a circle. “And would you look at that, they’re not here.” 

“Come on Max, you have to go home. You can’t live out in the woods forever.” Said David, sitting on the small stone next to Max. He didn’t mention the parent thing. Good.

“Fine. I’m excited to get away from you anyway.” Max sneered, marching stiffly from the direction he originally came, following the small scores he placed on trees to remember where he went, another trick he learned from camp, though he would never admit it. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They walked in agonising silence, well, agonising to David, it was beautiful to Max, until they eventually came upon Lake Lilac, just another few yards back to camp.

Max eventually spoke up “Finally! I won’t have to see your cheery ass face anymore! Have a nice rest of your life, try not to kill yourself m’kay?” Max said with a wink, sauntering off to the parking lot. “Wait. Where’s my fucking car?”

David slowly walked to the boy, he thought about patting his head, but then realized he would prefer to keep his hand firmly attached to his body. “Your parents and I… Had a disagreement..” 

Well that explains the black eye.

“They didn’t want to wait so long to help find you, so they went home, you’re going to have to stay at my house until we can drive you to your own house in the morning.”

What seemed like an eternity of shocked staring, Max eventually spoke.

“FUCK NO!”

“Max please I-”

“I AM NOT STAYING WITH YOU FOR ANOTHER GODDAMN DAY.”

“Well I’m not letting you stay another night in these woods. Either you’re going to have to stay a single night in my house, or one with Quartermaster.”

Max thought for a moment, considering the possibility of getting murdered, or spending another night with David. In any other circumstance, he would have chosen the former, but he decided the last place he wanted to die at was Camp Campbell.

“Fine. But don’t try to make it nice for me or anything. Im sleeping on the floor.” He hissed, walking slowly up to the old ‘campmobile’ or whatever it was called. David got in the driver’s side without saying anything, and turned the keys with a soft “chunk”.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The road was turning darker as the sun set, streetlights flipped on, casting strange patterns of darkness then light onto the road below. Traffic was heavy, but the uncomfortable silence was even heavier. David reached towards his copy of “The Farmer’s Almanac, On Tape”, but his hand was furiously slapped away, and then his phone swiftly taken from the glove compartment.

After a minute of soft scrolling, and another one of the ten year old looking intently at everything on the dashboard, Max eventually spoke.

“Damn! How old is this car? It doesn’t even have an AUX outlet??”

“It’s from the eighties, Max, heck, it was Mr. Campbell’s old car before he left it to us! It doesn't have an AUX outlet, but we have a cassette player!” He said cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.

Max’s face turned into an ugly sneer. “Do you really think that I would want to listen to anything you have on tape?”

“Well, no but-”

He was suddenly interrupted by loud punk music coming from his phone. Max seemed a bit happier listening to it, and although David would probably hear it in his nightmares, he was glad it made Max feel better.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually they parked their car on the side of the road in front of a small house near the edges of a medium sized city. It had a short front yard, and although the porch was a bit dirty, chairs and tables gave it a homey feel. David looked over to max, who had his face pressed against the window and was drooling slightly, tightly gripping onto Mr. Honeynuts. His phone was still playing the same scary music, probably the same band, but Max didn’t seem one bit disturbed by it. David picked up the sleeping child, careful to also have a strong grip on the bear. Max unconsciously wrapped his arms around the back of David’s neck and squeezed a bit harder than was comfortable, but David didn’t mind.

He slowly walked into the guest room and took off Max’s shoes. He was still in his day clothes, but David has never actually seen him with pajamas on, so he simply took off the hoodie and neatly folded it onto a nearby desk. He tucked in the sleeping boy and walked out. He knew he was going to get murdered for putting him in the guest room in the morning, but maybe pancakes might soften the blow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks so much for reading! I'm really sorry if I have any spelling mistakes or incorrect words, I have dysgraphia, so it makes this kind of stuff a bit difficult for me! But please do'nt be afraid to give me critique or suggestions! Im really open for it! Thanks so much again for reading!


	3. Guest Bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max might not be able to go home after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks so much for clicking! This is going to be suuuuper short, so I'm going to post two chapters tonight!

Max woke up to the sound of muffled conversation. The first thing he noticed was how strained David’s voice sounded, as if he was exhausted, recently crying, or even both. He couldn’t pick out any of the words, but he could hear that he was not his usual chipper self. The second thing he realized was that he was tucked into a guest bed with his hoodie neatly folded on the table.

“Wat the FUCK did I tell you David???” He shouted, running into the hallway and slightly skidding on the wooden floor.

“Oh. Hey Max. Good morning to yourself.” David replied. He tried to give a sheepish smile, but it wasn’t very convincing. Max pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. The air smelled like pine-sol and baked goods, the warmth of something washed his face, did David have a fireplace on in August?

“Whatever. I’m gonna get dressed so I can go home.” He said, slowly walking back to the room he busted out of, the door still swinging slightly.

“Max.. about that.. Can you sit down?” David said, trailing after the boy. David without a smile on his face genuinely unnerved Max, and although he would rather shoot himself in the fucking foot than listen to David, he knew that this was a serious matter.

Once they both sat on the small bed, David ran his fingers through his hair and said in a shaky voice, “Your parents… Aren’t going to take you back home. You’re going to go to a foster home. The paperwork is all completed, so, until it’s submitted, you’re going to have to stay with me a few more nights.” Once David finished, he reflectively flinched, waiting for the barrage of swears and insults from the boy, but, they never came. 

“I was wondering when they’d finally do it. Took them long enough.” He eventually replied, staring at the far corner of the room.

“Max.. Why do you say that?”

“Well, they never really cared before. Putting me in the hands of someone else would just make their lives easier.”

“Now Max, I’m sure they only did it because they might not have had the right resources or-”

“You think we were poor or something?” Max scoffed. “We were fine! We owned our own house, my family went to some island in Massachusetts for the summer! They could so afford to take care of me! David, when will it get trough to that dumb little brain of yours that they just didn’t give a shit!” He said, sitting straight on the bed and slapping the mattress on the last few words for emphasis. David didn’t say anything for a very long time.

“Well, I have some work to finish up… Computer's down the hall and there should be a slip of paper with your friend’s contact information on it… I’ll see you in a bit.”

Max didn’t reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks so much for reading! Please leave criticism / critiqe!


	4. Shopping Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and David go shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Thanks for reading! This is a bit of a filler chapter, just to give some space between feels, so I hope you like it!

After a few hours of Max sitting on David’s remarkably modern computer, the man himself sauntered into the room with another cheesy ass grin.

“Ugggggghhhhh what do you WANT” Max said, swiveling around in his chair to face him.

“We’re going shopping! Come on! We can take my own car this time!” He replied, putting his hands of his hips and smiling broadly.

“What do we need to go shopping for? I didn’t forget anything.” He said, his angry expression deepening.

“Well, you didn't forget anything, but you didn’t have much stuff to begin with..” Max gave David a confused expression. “Well, all you brought was that one outfit, your stuffed bear, and some toiletries” Replied David, his cheery grin wavering.

“Yeah. What about it?” He replied, still confused why he needed anything else.

“Well, you still need pajamas! Let’s go!” David suddenly said, grabbing max by the hand in running out the door with him in tow.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they were in the car heading down the highway, David was once again thrown into uncomfortable silence.

“Soo… That music that you were listening to last night… what was the band?” He asked nervously, trying to make himself seem cool. Max didn’t fall for it.

“Like Pup or something.” He said, turning his head to face the window even more. “I wasn’t really paying attention.”

“Well it sounded really nice..”

“Bullshit. You looked like you were going to piss yourself. That’s mostly why I listened to it in the first place.”

“Oh. Okay then” David said, turning his head back out to the road.

“To be honest it was kind of scary, you have to admit.” David said with a chuckle. From the back he could hear a small snort, and not one of Max’s usual mocking snorts, but it was quickly covered up to seem like a weird sneeze. David smiled.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After about twenty more minutes of driving, they eventually parked in a small shopping strip. It had a target, a wal-mart, a hair salon, and a few other stores arranged in a large circle around the parking lot.

“So max! Where to first?”

“I don’t know, what do we need?”

“Anything you want!” David said, taking the risk to ruffle Max’s hair. His was hand was slapped so hard there was no doubt that there was going to be a bruise in the morning.

“Well.. I do want some new clothes, maybe some new shoes..” David looked down at Max’s shoes, they were tattered and dirty, near to the point of falling apart. 

“Jesus Max! How long have you had those?”

“Two years probably? I had to cut them a little with scissors so they wouldn’t be too small, so two years seems about right.” David gave a horrified look and immediately dragged him into the tiny shoe store that was on the other end of the strip.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After only ten minutes of getting measured and browsing, Max eventually picked up a pair of red sneakers that were almost identical to his own, except with black accents instead of red.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Asked David. “Don’t you want something more exciting? A change of pace?”

“No these are good.” Max said in a monotone voice, already walking up to the counter and placing his purchase down.

“Let’s go get some pajamas now, okay?” David sai as he was taking his credit card out of his wallet. Max didn’t say anything, but he slightly smiled as he quickly walked out the door.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a bit, they loaded their haul into David’s car. A pair of shoes, two sets of pajamas for summer and winter, both gray and red, t shirts and a second pair of jeans. David had also gotten a sewing kit and ribbon, although he wouldn't tell Max what it was for.

Driving home, Max didn’t say much, but David could see he was happy. He wondered to himself if this was his first shopping trip where they didn’t just buy one thing for him and then go, but that was unlikely.  
When they finally pulled back into avid’s driveway, Max immediately jumped inside to try on one of his new t-shirts. David was happy for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks so much for reading! Please give me criticism or suggestions, i'm always open to them!


	5. Stew and Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David makes a lovely stew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for clicking! This Is my first fanfiction so if you have any suggestions please leave them in the comments!!

Max struggled in pulling his new t-shirt over his head. It was gray with white trim, it was the perfect size and the fabric was soft to the touch. He smiled broadly at himself in the mirror, then promptly snapped his lips shut and resumed is sour expression, there was no way in hell David would see him happy.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
He ran down the stairs and almost slid on the last step, but steadied himself immediately. As soon as he stopped moving, he was instantly hit with a wave of amazing scents. Rosemary, thyme, and hearty gravy washed over him as he slowly made his way into the kitchen. 

“Hi Max! Dinner’s almost ready? Could you help set the table when I’m done?” Beamed David, twirling a wooden spoon in a large cast iron pot.

“Sure. What’s that smell?”

“Oh, just some stew, nothing special.” Replied David, turning back to the pot and smiled even farther.

“You can cook?” Said Max, hoisting himself onto the counter next to the stove and looking into the pot. There were meat, potatoes, and peas floating in a broth of rich gravy. Various herbs scattered the top and clung themselves to the potatoes. It looked heavenly.

“Well, it’s nothing out of this world.. Its an old recipe…” David said mostly to himself, but Max didn't respond. He seemed mesmerized by the dish, his eyes were glazed and he was slightly drooling. David was going to ask what was wrong, but then it came to him that Max's diet probably consisted of only microwave mac n’ cheese and stale cereal for most of his life.

“Well, set the table and you can eat it.” David chuckled, ruffling the boy’s fluffy black hair. For the first time since camp ended, Max didnt slap his hand away, although he did grumble as he let himself fall from the counter.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the table not-so-neatly set, David hoised the pot and shuffled into the dining room. An audible rumble came from Max’s stomach as he saw it, and he lurched forward to grab his spoon.

“Calm down! You’ll burn yourself!” Laughed David, placing the pot on a series of strategically-placed cutting boards so it wouldn’t stain the table.

“Shut up and let me eat.” Max snapped back. David couldn't blame him, he probably only had meals like this on special occasions. And, to be fair, David doesn’t normally cook stuff like this. Homemade pizza and chicken sandwiches were his specialty, and not to mention a healthy salad or two, but to him, this was a special occasion.

As the pair settled down and received a generous amount of stew, David reached for a small stack of papers on the other side of the table.

“Max.. I know you dont like me very much.” He stated quietly. “But, I know what it’s like.. To not be cared about.”

Max immediately stopped chewing on the large piece of beef impaled on his fork to stare up at the redhead.

“What the fuck do you mean?” He finally stated after a few seconds of agonizing silence.

“Well.. My parents were not the best either. While not nearly as bad as yours, I didn’t really get the support I needed from them. That’s why Camp Campbell is so important to me, it showed me that people can truly care about me. And.. I want you to see that as well.”

Max didn’t say anything for a very long time. He fiddled with the small metal fork in his hand, refusing eye contact.

“I know what happens to kids in foster homes, especially the more rebellious ones like you. They bounce around from home to home until they turn eighteen and get kicked out into the streets. That kind of life is..” David took a deep breath. “Honestly kind of shitty. And it doesn’t have to be for long if you don’t want it to, but, I want to make sure I can make your life as good as possible before you have to leave mine.” David finally said, a shaky smile forming on his face. He pushed the stack of paperwork over to Max. The large print heading read “FOSTER HOME APPLICATION” 

Max didn’t say anything for a very long time. His eyes grew watery, and although they didn’t fall, you could tell he was close to crying. After what seemed like an eternity, he eventually said “Don’t take this to heart or anything. I’m just here for the food.”

David beamed and ran to the other side of the table and picked Max up. He gave the child the hardest squeeze he ever had in his life, and Max didn't try to fight it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Im looking for suggestions to carry on this story! Its not going to be a big sweeping story arc, but just some domestic dadvid and legal jargon. I already have a few chapters planned out but any suggestions would be appreciated as well!


	6. Into the Attic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and David go up Into David's attic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAA I'm getting a sudden influx of support?? Thank you guys!! It really means the world to me!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!

David woke to the sound of his alarm beeping. It was Wednesday, and school would be starting exactly a week later. He was an elementary teacher, working Fourth grade. He already enrolled Max into his school, heck, he might even be in his class if administration looks at his requests. He would need to get Max some school supplies though…

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually, he willed himself to get up and get dressed. He wore a light gray t-shirt with a geometric tree on the front, khaki shorts, and of course his yellow camp Campbell shirt tied loosely around his neck. He gave a large smile and grasped the door handle firmly twisting it and…

It didn’t open. He jiggled it again, but it still refused to budge. He frantically pulled and pushed, but nothing worked.

“Max… Can you help me?” He eventually called out, with no answer. “Max! Seriously I need help!” He called again, with a large huff just outside his door coming as a reply.

“If you keep yelling I’m lighting the room on fire, too. I have a headache.” Called a very tired Max from the other side of the door.

“Max! Oh thank god! Can yo-”

“I said shut up.” Max snapped back. “But fine, I’ll let you out.” A long series of clinks followed by a large snap followed. Eventually, the door swung open with a frazzled, and very angry Max on the other side.

“Max.. Did you lock me in my room?” David tentatively asked, looking confused and very hurt.

“Yep.” Max replied, spinning around and sauntering back to the direction of the guest bedroom.

“Max, WHY did you lock me in my room.” David asked, putting his hands on his hips and failing to give a scowl to the boy.

“I don’t know. I just wanted a few hours away from your cheery ass is all.” Max stammered, almost as if he didn’t know himself.

David gave a worried look, but eventually he regained his cheery composure and walked into the hallway.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So. Do you have anything to eat for breakfast in here?” Said Max, climbing onto the counter and loudly opening up one of the cabinets.

“We have oatmeal. And lots of tea.” Replied David, already heating up water in a small kettle. The ten-year-old shot back a disgusted look.

“I mean something a KID would eat. Or like... coffee or something?” 

“Oatmeal is very healthy for a growing body. And coffee isn’t good for someone your age, the only reason I would let you have it at camp was because it was technically Quartermaster’s” Max looked visibly offended, but eventually threw down a box of black tea onto the counter.

“This place sucks ass.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Max chugged a whole mug of tea in one minute, he unceremoniously put the dirty dish into the sink and started walking back to the guest room.

“Hey Max! Why don’t you go check out the attic? There’s some stuff up there from when I was little. Maybe we could help decorate that room to be a bit more like you, maybe buy some posters or a new bedspread off of Amazon later?” David called after, right before the boy turned the corner.

“Why would you do that?”

“Because it’s going to be your room for at least a few months, I want you to feel at home!” The man replied, giving Max a warm smile. 

“But it’s your house-”

“It’s yours too while you’re living here! Come on, it'll be fun!” He interrupted, putting a hand on the boys shoulder.

“Fine. How do I get to the attic?”

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The two went up into the dusty wooden top of the house. Where the downstairs smelled like firewood and pine-sol, the attic smelled like old clothes, with a hint of mildew. It wasn’t unbearable, but it had that distinctly attic smell that flooded both of their nostrils the instant they opened the door. The far wall had a huge circular window, illuminating the room without the need for a light bulb. In all honesty, it was quite pleasant, for an attic.

“So… What are we looking for again?” Max said, coughing slightly.

“Anything you want! The stuff from when I was a kid should be in the back though, so you can look through anything else on our way.” David said, pointing to the far wall. 

Unlike Max’s old home, where boxes and those big plastic container things were haphazardly thrown on the floor and on top each other, David’s were stacked on long wooden shelves that reached the ceiling. Each box or container were labeled with black sharpie in easy to read handwriting, with words such as “Christmas ornaments”, “China plates”, or “Old quilts” adorning every box’s side. 

Max swiftly walked down the long pathway, craning his neck to see the boxes near the top. He only stopped to hover near the one labeled “Family photos” before resuming his trek to the far end. The more he walked, the more the cardboard seemed to be eaten and sharpie faded. Eventually he came to a few boxes labeled “Davey’s stuff” in a child’s handwriting.

“God. You called YOURSELF Davey? I thought it was just a nickname other people called you!” He said, staring at the faded writing.

“Haha, yeah,” David muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I always thought ‘David’ sounded like thirty five year old businessman, ‘Davey’ Seemed a lot more like a ten year old to me.” He chuckled, his face turning slightly pink. “Let’s see what’s in it, shall we?” He said, bending down and pulling out the box from the wooden shelf.

The box contained a stuffed dog, yu-gi-oh cards, a Game Boy, and various super hero posters. “Anything you like?” David said, picking up the moth-bitten dog and staring at it lovingly. “You don’t strike me as a super hero kid.” He said, putting the dog back in the box with a pat on it’s head.

“Dear lord superheros are dumb, but I’ll take the Game Boy if you have any games for it.” He said, gesturing to the gray device. “But if I know anything about you, you probably only have harvest moon or some shit.”

David gave a mischievous smirk, or as much of one as he could make before it melted into a happy grin. He reached into the box, dug below the yu-gi-oh cards, and pulled out a ziplock bag full to the brim of games, including pokemon, super mario, and yes, harvest moon.

“Dogsitting was a pretty good job if all you spent your money on was video games.” He said, handing Max the bag. Max looked up at him happily, before snapping back to his sour expression. “Finally some entertainment in this boring ass house.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so thanks for reading! This is my first fanfiction so any and all criticism or suggestions would be very much appreciated, so if you have anything you would like to say please say it! In the next chapter or two its gon get sad boy! Also, what do you guys think of me making a Daniel and brainwashed Max fic? I've been thinking about it for a bit, and it seems like fun, but what do you guys think?


	7. One AM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max sleepwalks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for clicking! Feedback is always welcomed!!

It was one in the morning. Max rose from his new cushy bed and slowly walked out the door of his new room. Every step he took was calculated and precise, inching closer and closer to the only other bedroom in the little house.

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David lied awake in bed, absentmindedly staring at the far corner of his room. The cars on the street seemed to be extra loud that night, and extra frequent. Light from the headlights streaking in the the cracks in the curtains, spilling eerily into the room before disappearing. It was no secret to anybody that David struggled with insomnia, except maybe the campers, but his sleeping pills usually took effect at midnight.

He grumbled and ran his hand through his hair. The usually fluffy front drooped idly by is nose as he drummed his fingers against his mattress. Unlike most of his sleepless nights, he knew exactly why he couldn't drift off. It was because of Max. Well, not Max himself, but the stress stemming from suddenly having a ten year old “son”.

David leaned back and sighed deeply, his head resting on the headboard, staring up at the ceiling when he heard a small creak coming from his door.

“Max? Are you okay? Do you need water or something?” David said, turning to face the boy standing in the doorway. He didn’t answer.

“Max?” David said again, slowly rising from his bed. Max took a step back and squeezed his little hand into a fist. It was then that David realised he was holding something shiny and metallic.

“Max? What are you holding.” David said, his voice strained and raspy. He walked up to max to put a hand on his shoulder when he saw Max’s expression. It was a face of terror, but distant somehow. His eyes were glazed and they weren't focusing on anything in particular, just sweeping over David’s general are as he stepped back again.

“Are you alright?” David said, quickly lifting his hand away and rubbing his wrist. “Are you sleepwalking?”

All max did was shuffle out of the room and slam his door. After a few seconds, the sound of a key turning rang through the silent air, and David was locked in again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its so short, and sorry I haven't been updating!! For some reason I lost like all of my motivation for this work :(  
> Don't worry, ill still be updating, but I'm going to write some more action-oriented ones, and those will take my priority!


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